Mixed Blood
by master-of-defence
Summary: Minori is a 16 yr old who tries to make her ends meet. However, after being kicked out of the job of the ANBU commander she finally meets her old rival, Gaara. Chaos unfolds as her younger sister is kidnapped and she is forced to join the war. As her notorious family tree, with two of the most powerful clans, is unveiled, she finds out that taking Gaaras help may be sensible option


Gaara thoughtfully tapped the table lightly with his fingers. The other Kage were all crowded around him trying to reach a conclusion on whether or not the people in the surrounding locations should be evacuated.

"Well I don't know what so much discussion is about!" Tsunade had thundered. "Of course they should be evacuated! Their lives shouldn't be endangered!"

"Yes, but their evacuation would mean that our nearest weapon shop or factory is 97 miles from here. Not to mention food provisions as well. You don't expect us to waste time on buying our groceries, do you Hokage-sama?" Gaara had stated coolly yet calmly.

"Why you little punk! You ought to be sacked for talking back like that!"

"But Hokage-sama, what he said was true, wasn't it? And rational too" Mizukage mused.

"Rational my foot! Someday, Kazekage, Someday I swear to god I will find that heart of yours and drag it out of you! That is if you've got a heart."

Gaara opened his mouth to retaliate and was stopped by Mifune.

"I thought we were here to discuss the evacuation details not who has heart and who doesn't."

"Why don't you evacuate the villagers and keep the weapon dealers and a few food dealers as well." Gaara suggested.

"Kazekage-sama's suggestion seems quite reasonable. Kazekage-sama and Mizukage-sama soon need to head out. Before that, I would like to wish all of five of you best of luck. I will immediately start evacuating the bordering lands of the land of lightening. Raikage-sama, are you quite sure that Kumogakure is facing a shortage of weapons and food?"

"Quite positive. As all of the villagers have been evacuated, there are not too many supplies going around, but the neighbouring villages may have some answers."

"Well, do we have any volunteers for visiting and finding out?" Mifune asked.

"I'll do it. I have a day before I set out anyway." Gaara said surprisingly.

Mifune nodded.

"I'll send some escorts…." He was cut off by Gaara.

"I'd like to go by myself."

Mifune looked uncertain and unsure about this idea but when he saw the look on Gaara's face he yielded.

"Kazekage-sama, I hope you will take caution. I will meet you tomorrow afternoon for a report. I announce this meeting as over."

The kages got up and left. Gaara entered the room assigned to him and strapped the gourd on his back and walked outside.

* * *

(In the suburbs)

Gaara had crossed the area filled with a flurry of ninjas and was now in a relatively quieter place with a few villagers passing every now and then.

Suddenly he noticed a shop with kunai and shuriken hanging on the door.

"_Well, I may have gotten lucky" _Gaara walked towards it when he heard a slow sound, mournful yet beautiful. A violin.

"Onee-san! Please stop playing! You've been at it for ages!"

"Shut up and let me concentrate" A voice responded, growlingly.

He could make out the personalities by their tone of voice. The one who had spoken had an impatient, bright and cheerful voice whereas the other had a soft, detached and slightly icy way of speaking. Two sisters.

Gaara decided to enter despite his observations.

As he opened the door, a small bell rung, warning the shopkeepers that they had a visitor (first and last).

A young girl bounded towards him with a cheerful smile on her face. She was very breathtakingly pretty with golden curls reaching down to her elbows and bright blue eyes.

Her sister was attractive, but not as attractive as her sister, as well but more than that, she was striking. She looked nothing like her sister. She had very pale skin and raven black hair reaching down to her waist tied in a high ponytail. Her black hair and the intensity in her electric blue eyes made for an enticing combination. She gave a slightly dark aura, sadistic and serious.

"Ohayo, gozaimasu!" The blonde girl greeted cheerfully.

"Ohayo" Gaara greeted back with a curt nod.

"Do you deal in weapons?" Gaara asked them grimly. As the younger girl open her mouth to speak the black-haired older sister spoke.

"Yes we do. Which kind do you want…Kazekage-sama?"

Gaara not in the least perturbed or surprised of how she knew his rank. Instead he spoke to her in an emotionless tone.

"I want a regular supply of weapons for the shinobi and samurai fighting in the war. Can I trust you with that job? I don't need them chakra infused, we'll do that but just plain weapons like Katanas, shuriken kunai and Senbon. Things like that."

The girl with the black hair considered the offer. While she did so, her younger sister, inch by inch slowly attempted to sidle away, however, her sister's voice broke in on her mischievous deed.

"Where are you thinking of going?"

"To the lake…."

"No"

"Please, everyone from the academy's going to be there. I beg of you."

Her sister gave in.

"Please be back by five. I have some work so I need you to take care of the house."

Her sister nodded enthusiastically and hopped, jumped and skipped her way to the rendezvous point called the lake.

The girl with black hair stared at the retreating figure of her imouto and sighed tiredly. Gaara could practically see her bones as her skin was so pale and translucent.

"So this is what you've been reduced to….Minori-sama."

Minori turned sharply at him and said icily,

"Whose fault is that?"

"It wasn't my decision to take."

"Yeah right, as the son of the previous Kazekage and a Jinchuriki you had them in you control."

Gaara sighed and looked at her.

"I'm sorry."

Minori was not generous enough to forgive him.

" You're sorry can't change my past, my present and nor my future! The years of hard work I put into trying to become the Suna ANBU Supreme Commander ! I achieved it too. And then what, you marched along and became Kazekage. I didn't hate you for that. The council then decided that it wouldn't be good for Suna if they had two young leaders and then they….got me removed."

Minori continued with emotion in her voice. Cold emotion.

"You don't know how horrible it was. I bet they told you some story about me getting a job offer from Hoshigakure or something but that's not true. I was fourteen at the time and my sister six when they threatened me to get out of Suna overnight. You don't know half of the story. I know it's not your fault but I can't help it. I hate you."

Gaara looked grave. It was indeed true that the council members had spun a completely different story for him, but he had been concerned about her well being. He had, to some extent, even insisted for her sake that she be put back in her position but then thought better of it.

"It will all change if you contribute to the war."

He got the expected answer.

"I will not follow your instructions, nor anyone who is on good terms with you."

"I thought so."

"Good."

"Are you really willing to give up on all the thoughts and feelings you developed while working hard for Suna? You really wanted to protect Suna. Has it all gone to waste, your hard work? You may have lost one chance to be a savior, a hero towards those who long for protection but are you going to let yourself lost again to me."

The last sentence was an afterthought to see whether he could provoke her into joining the war to challenge him, but as he predicted, she was not that foolish.

"I will not fight or join the war in any way, but I will supply weapons only if I am well paid."

Gaara admitted to this and proceeded onto negotiating the price when a hassled messenger burst through the doors, panting.

"What is it?" Gaara asked, frowning slightly

"It's …..It's terrible. The two Jinchuriki have escaped from the island."

* * *

(Akatsuki)

"I hope all preparations are being made, Kabuto." Tobi shot a suspicious look at the white haired devil who was slithering in the shadows.

"Yes, not to worry. The reanimation jutsu is perfect. And as Zetsu is protecting the Uchiha, it's a pity I can't get a chance to whisk him away.

Tobi was disgusted. He might be cruel, cunning and ruthless, not hesitating to sacrifice a comrade for his personal gains, but he detested the unorthodox methods in which Orochimaru and his loyal minion would toy around with a victim's body instead of finishing them off straight away, like he himself did.

"_However, I trust Zetsu more than others and so I can count on him to keep Sasuke safe…for now."_

With that satisfying thought, he set off to find 'The Goddess' Konan.

* * *

(Back at the weapon shop)

Gaara stared at the messenger. In the heart of his hearts, he hated keeping this war from Naruto. Being a former jinchuriki himself, he went through the same emotions as Naruto did. Inwardly, he was glad that Naruto had found a way out of the prison.

However, after seeing the panicked expression on the messenger's face he said in a firm manner,

"Tell the Kage to wait, I'll be there."

The messenger, reassured, nodded and proceeded back to the headquarters.

Gaara stood up and looked at Minori. They both stared at each other for a while and then Minori turned her head away and scowled.

"I'll be there with the weapons. Keep the money ready."

Gaara smirked inwardly to himself and thought,

"_She may act like doesn't care about the war, but she is very concerned about the outcome."_

However, he didn't want to anger her without reason.

"Fine."

* * *

I do hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I can't say I'll upload the chapter very soon but do keep on reading.

Thanks


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